Healthy Happy Travels

Health and travel can go hand in hand if you are aware about the choices you make during your trip and combine smart choices with a whole lot of fun and enjoyment!

Very often you’ll notice your eating regime going out of whack when you’re travelling. It is easy to be diverted from nutritious food while you’re on vacation as the ‘YOLO’ side of you lets you indulge in guilty pleasures. While it is most definitely okay to let loose and eat your favourite treats during your holiday, you can balance by including healthier options and exercise as part of your vacation.

Eating a lot of discretionary foods during your travels tends to leave you feeling low on energy because you’re having an imbalanced diet that’s not creating enough of the feel-good endorphins you would usually get from eating wholesome meals. So here are some healthy tips to keep in mind next time you are jet-setting!

🚀 1. First and foremost, ensure that you are well hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Opt to drink coconut water and natural fruit juices/smoothies and stay away from sugar-loaded soft drinks. I personally recommend to start your day with a cup of warm lemon water!

🚀 2. Healthy foods can be scarce at the airport or rest stops and are often expensive too. So it’s always a good idea to pack your own. You’ll be grateful you did especially when unexpected delays occur.

🚀 3. Entering airports with foods is a tricky job considering that there are limitations on what kinds of food stuff you can bring into other countries. It’s always good to declare them when you go through customs. However, most foods pass through screening without any issues as long as you’re not carrying liquids that are more than 100ml.

🚀 4. You can take a portable collapsible cooler box or bag and fill it with healthy snacks and meals. Try not to bring along strong smelling foods such as durian, stinky cheeses, tuna, onions and garlic. Be considerate towards fellow travellers.

🚀 5. Some ideas for healthy snacks and meals include:

• Whole fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, and other varieties
• Unsalted nuts, seeds, and dry fruits such as pepitas, sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachios, cashews, pecans, walnuts, apricots, goji berries, or any of your other favourites
• Non-buttery popcorn that is only slightly salted
• Roasted chickpeas and sweet potatoes
• Dips and crackers
• Vegetable sandwich or a falafel wrap
• Mixed greens or pasta/quinoa/couscous salads

I love to pack cream cheese avocado sandwiches, pasta that’s loaded with vegetables, and a handful of trail mix and dates to fulfill my sugar cravings!

Note: Make sure you wash your hands well after eating nuts and seeds so you don’t cross contaminate causing potential allergic reactions to those who are vulnerable.

🚀 6. While sometimes you may have to buy food or are not keen to prepare and carry meals with you, be smart about what you order and choose low calorie foods or adjust the portion sizes.

🚀 7. When consuming airline meals, pre-order something that’s healthy and low in sodium!

🚀 8. If breakfast is offered by the hotel and if options galore, make the right choices from the hotel buffet, or make a run to the supermarket and get some fruits, whole grain cereal, oatmeal and nut butters.

🚀 9. Always do your homework before you travel and scout for some good restaurants that offer scrumptious and healthy meals catering to your dietary requirements.

🚀 10. While you may want to indulge in the local cuisines, don’t do so at the risk of your well-being. For instance, if you know your gut will growl violently if you ate chilli food, avoid the local spicy delights and instead ask for a milder version of that dish.

🚀 11. Make your indulgences unique to your destination. For instance, if France is known for its breads and pastries and Italy is known for its pasta, pizzas and gelatos, feel free to try them out, wisely! Try to stick to not more than one per day.

🚀 12. When travelling with your friends or family, don’t let their choices affects yours. Politely ask them for some time away to get some exercise done and decide for yourself what you prefer eating.

🚀 13. Even if it is for 15-20 minutes in the morning, get some exercise done, so you don’t have to plan to work out later during the day or evening. High intensity workouts are effective. Walk up and down the hotel stairs, do some push ups and planks, go running, do some sun-salutations and make that a loop on repeat. And sometimes, there’s no better way than to get in some exercise while you’re sight-seeing. Choose to go cycling while exploring the city or go for a walking tour!

🚀 14. Get enough sleep at night during your vacation so you can enjoy your explorations the next day and are not low on energy and enthusiasm.

🚀 15. Since it is a holiday, don’t undermine the importance of having a digital detox. Choose to simply immerse yourself in nature and take a spiritual break every once in a while. Slow down and appreciate your surroundings, because anyways every other day you’re busy and rushing. Opt to do more analogue activities such as camping, strumming the guitar, or playing board games.

Eat sensibly and don’t forget to combine enjoyment with health when you’re on the move. And then you’ll deserve some apple-lause 🍏 because I’ll be rooting for you 🥕😉